Is tea that has been out on air for long dangerous to drink?
Suppose you made a cup of tea (the real tea, not bagged, and not a fruit drink) with no additions, but you forgot about it while doing other things (house stuff, homework, your job) and it has now been 2 hours since you made it. The tea is cold, possibly bitter, and a significant portion of its flavor is gone (this has been the usual result for me with all real teas). It's not so good any more, but is it safe to drink now?
As the saying goes, a cup of tea left overnight is poison. How true is that in terms of actual hazards?
Best Answer
As long as you haven't added something that will dramatically increase the spoilage time (milk, or sugar), it should follow roughly the same rules as coffee. Most citations I've seen say the taste begins to go off at around 8 hours, which is a good indicator of spoilage. It's going to taste yucky if you forget and leave the teabag in it as well, but that's just over-steeping.
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Quick Answer about "Is tea that has been out on air for long dangerous to drink?"
First things first, do not reheat the tea if it has been left at room temperature for anywhere between 4 to 8 hours. If you forgot to have your tea for a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes, it is safe to drink. The food poisoning bacteria grow in brewed teas that are exposed to heat between 41 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.Is it OK to drink tea that has been sitting out?
There are a few safety measures to take when making tea for a party, however. How long does brewed tea last at room temperature? The short answer is, don't store tea for more than 8 hours at room temperature. If you left your tea out at room temperature overnight or longer than 8 hours, it would be best to discard it.How long can tea sit out before it goes bad?
At Room Temperature As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says, brewed tea should not be kept uncovered on the counter for more than 8 hours. After this, your tea's no longer safe to consume. Also, to get the best taste, you should drink it within 6 hours at room temperature.What happens if you leave tea out for too long?
There is no harm in leaving a tea bag in too long. But the over-steeping tea can make the tea taste a little more bitter and has an astringent effect in the mouth, leaving you feeling dry and puckery. Also, it may bring stains on your cup or teeth. By the way, it is suggested to steep the tea bags only once.Can unrefrigerated tea make you sick?
Tea leaves may be contaminated with coliform bacteria. If iced tea is brewed at inadequate temperatures or in an improperly cleaned urn, or if it is stored for too long, it may grow coliform bacteria, most frequently Klebsiella and Enterobacter, and less commonly E. coli.What If You Stopped Drinking Tea At All?
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